Improved rainfall could restore pastoralist patterns in the south

• In February rainfall continued to improve in parts of eastern and northern Namibe, southern Huila and northeastern Cunene Provinces.
• Although pastoralists are yet to return to their homesteads, overall out migration has decreased. Continued improvements in rainfall could improve pasture conditions and may result in more households returning to their homesteads in the coming months. If this occurs, household food insecurity could improve through livestock production and sales.
• For poor households in Kwanza Sul, Namibe, and Cunene Provinces, government food assistance and supplies from neighboring Huila Province are their main sources of food. These provinces are expected to face Stressed (IPC Phase 2) acute food insecurity outcomes through June.

National

• The government has increased the rate of acquisition of produce (mostly maize, tomatoes, beans and sorghum and millet) in the south under the Ministry of Commerce’s Acquisition of Agricultural Products program (PAPAGRO). PAPAGRO is intended to work as a semi-formal agricultural marketing board. Besides the usual functions, PAPAGRO provides subsidies to both producers and consumer. This program should immediately help to increase beans and maize prices for suppliers, while decreasing consumer prices. The surplus supplies from this program are intended to be used for strategic reserves and future price control of the food basket for an average household.
• Despite overall improvements in rainfall patterns in much of the country, patterns in Porto Amboim have been deteriorating since January, forcing some poor households to abandon their small cultivated plots and seek refuge elsewhere. This movement is particularly notable in rural areas surrounding Porto Amboim. This migration of rural poor households into the city complicates the food security situation in the city and introduces further complications in distributing food assistance.
• Porto Amboimis located in livelihood zone 1, an arid and semi-arid coastal area that receives on average around 75 mm of rainfall per year. Poor people in this area rely more on small livestock and fishing equipment as productive assets; and the poor consume mostly cassava, vegetables and fish. It is projected that the continued movement of poor households from the rural area might further complicate the food security situation in nearby cities.

Area of Concern: The Southern Livestock, Millet, Sorghum Livelihood zone

• There have been improvements in rainfall in areas surrounding Virei in Namibe Province. Though rain is still very erratic and falling in low volumes, this might help re-establish normal transhumant patterns. Some households have started to return to their homesteads. This rainfall, though late, has lessened the number of households moving and reduced the distance traveled.
• The food security situation continues to improve. However, the poor 2013 Nacas (flood recession) season and lower than expected 2013/14 main cereal harvest expected from May-June complicates the food access situation further. When transhumant households return, locally available food supplies are expected to be limited. Thus, it is expected that households in zone 1 of Kwanza Sul Province and in zone 3 of Namibe and Cunene Provinces will continue facing Stressed (IPC Phase 2) acute food security through June.

About Remote Monitoring
In remote monitoring, a coordinator typically works from a nearby regional office. Relying on partners for data, the coordinator uses scenario development to conduct analysis and produce monthly reports. As less data may be available, remote monitoring reports may have less detail than those from countries with FEWS NET offices. Learn more about our work at www.fews.net/our-work/our-work/scenario-development.